She Stands

                        Every year the Lord will give me one word for the upcoming year. Last year He spoke the word receive to me. I'd be lying if I didn't say how excited I was to hear that word. Receive, receive, receive ......I couldn't imagine all the great and new wonderful things He had for me to receive in 2018. I did my happy dance all the way through Christmas, extending my dance moves into the new year and added a few toe-tapping moves by the time spring rolled around. At that point, there was nothing or no one that could sway me from my self-indulged happy dance. And then life cut in and interrupted my blissful dance with "receive".  Division shoved me off the dance floor while strife was stepping on my toes. Hurt was waiting for me to twirl me right into the arms of brokenness. This was not even close to what I believed I was to receive. Not understanding I brought my unhappiness to the fee...

This past week I flew to Colorado to be with my daughter when they finalized the adoption for my grandson. It was an amazing week spent with my family there; a moment in time I will forever cherish. When I booked my flight I forgot to pick my seat on my flight. Once I hit the button to purchase my ticket I remembered the window seat, I love the window seat. Sitting in front of my computer a bit of disappointment I felt knowing I would be seating in the aisle or the middle. " oh well" I told myself.  My disappointment left quickly as my excitement to see my family grew. The day came for me to leave, arriving at the airport I whispered a prayer to the Lord for a safe trip and as an after thought, I told Him I'd love to have a window seat. After I receive my boarding pass, to my surprise I saw I indeed had the window seat and then to my delight realized I again had the window seat on my connecting flight in Houston as well.  My excitement  doubled, kinda like...

    Putting a puzzle together can be fun, enjoyable and somewhat a relaxing time when the pieces all fit correctly the first time.  However when it is a puzzle with thousands of little pieces that require a great deal of time trying to figure out what piece goes where it can become frustrating, at least for me. Many times I have had to rely on the box top picture to navigate me through the placing of each piece and even that process can be irritating. Eventually the pieces do all fit exactly the way they were created to fit and the perfect picture is formed.It is a victory of sorts for me as patience is not my best quality.  But what about when our life's pieces are not fitting together? I had this certain picture I created in my mind, a picture how my own pieces were to fit together, my perfect box top per say. However the pieces I chose I could not force them to fit. No matter how I placed them, ...

Photo Credit: Clem Onojeghuo Give us this day our daily bread.......    The smell of fresh baked bread never fails to have my mouth watering and my nose on high alert, not to mention the warm savory taste each bite brings with melted butter dripping over and drizzling down my finger tips. To say I love fresh bread is an understatement at the very least. Bread that gives me nourishment is not to be wasted, and neither is the spiritual bread my daddy God has for me. The last week or so, when my alarm starts ringing and before my eyes are open, I ask the Lord to give my daily bread. A fresh word, a warm aroma, and a sweet taste of his bread (word) to begin my day. Now I must be honest and say I am far from a morning person. I am not the "jump out of bed, feet hit the floor running, birds chirping" kinda girl. I am a " hit the snooze button 5 more times, slowly sit up , and pry my eyes open with a crow bar" kinda girl.  And thankfully my daddy ...

Photo Credit: Joanna Kosihska Here it is post Valentine's Day and though I am not a huge fan of this particular holiday, I do find a tender sweetness of it's meaning. Sometimes being single has it's downfalls and holidays are a reminder that I am indeed single. Most of the time I am quite content where I am in my journey of singleness and then there are those times in between when I wonder if I will ever share my life again with a man. I do not ponder on that thought quite often as I know my daddy God has a plan and the right man for me.  This year Valentine's day was odd for me. I was not in a place of sadness nor did I feel sorry for myself. It was not a pity party holiday for me but yet I found myself wanting to hear I am loved. And I believe my daddy God wanted to show me as well. So yesterday as I read many beautiful post from what seemed like tons of flower pictures, and candy filled "I love yous", I secretly asked myself wh...

Photo Credit: Brigitte Thom       "Love doesn't hide, it stays and fights; it goes the distance. That's why God made love so strong, to carry us home."  - Touch By An Angel.   I heard that line a few years ago. It was a cold Thursday night and I was all bundled up on my couch having myself a "Touch By An Angel" marathon. I love that show; I love the message each episode brought. However that particular line has resonated with me for the last two years. While most see love as warm fuzzy feelings, pure happiness dripping in sugar and emotions that are in a constant euphoric state, the truth is love is a choice and once the newest wears off and reality sets in, many sadly choose to no longer love the one they proclaimed to go through life with. The happy happy, joy joy syndrome is now overshadowed with bills, running in different directions with kids, family crisis and daily life circumstances.Th...

I don't recall a time in my life where my faith has ever wavered, I trust God. I believe in Him and His promises.   However in the recent events I am finding it's not my lack of  trust that has me on my knees, it's my lack of understanding . The grief that has consumed my community and our nation is smothering the very essence of my heart. So much death..... So much violence..... So much brokenness..... Division at it's worse. As a nation we grieved for Dallas and the loss of the fallen officers. Today as a community we grieve for our own. The three hero's, Montrell Jackson , Matthew Gerald and Brad Garafola , who lost their lives in a purposely orchestrated attack. A senseless act which has now placed Baton Rouge on the map of sorrow with others across the US. And one question that screams at us all............ WHY? I do not have the answer nor will I pretend to.  I wish I did. I pray my words of comf...

       In lieu of my nations recent tragic events and those that have hit my hometown, I find myself in a place of bewilderment. A place where words do no justice to the pain and grief that seems to have swallowed cities, coummities and the nation as a whole in a place of grief that is larger than I could have ever imagined in my lifetime. I do not cry from a place of fear.  Gods words promise me he did not give me a spirit of fear but of love, peace and sound mind. ( 2 Timothy 1:7) My tears come from a place that shelters my hearts deepest emotions for those I know, those I don't and those whose pain is more than they can bare. It is my secret place where my walls fall and my weeping is earth shattering. Where I have no words, my tear stained face is deafening to my soul. My tears have purpose. Psalm 56:8-9 " You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, The...

As a child I can remember planting tiny seeds in a cup of soil and waiting anxiously for the first sigh of life to sprout forth. I would water and nurture my tiny seed holding on to the belief of something magical appearing at any moment. After a week or so a very tiny growth of green would emerge from the dark spoil adding to my excitement that my seed would be a thriving bloom of beauty. The hope of a child is a pure act of love;  a love that holds on to the beauty of life rather than sees the impossibility of the world. A humbling heart that anchors to the promise instead of disbelief. As I grew older I no longer planted seeds in a cup but I did and still do try my best to plant seeds of love and hope in the cracks of  hearts that are broken, abandoned or bruised. It can be hard to wait for the seeds which are planted to grow. It can become a painful process when watching someone I love struggle to break through the dark soil of the world. If I over water my seed, ...

 Faithful, Merciful, Powerful, Gracious, Love, Aware Of My Struggles, , Ready to Forgive, Willing to Help, and The One Who Loves Me.  I am so glad God is God and I am not. I have a hard enough time managing my own little world sometimes much less the world of others. I am an imperfect woman, who falls in this life regardless how many times I try my best to be perfect. Perfect in my choices? No as I've made my fair share of wrong ones. Perfect in showing grace to all ?  Honestly here recently that has been a struggle in my life but I am walking through it with in baby steps.  Perfect in my actions towards others who hurt me? Not really sure how that one is going, but I am striving to do better and show the unconditional love of Christ, as He always shows me.  The older I get the more I see myself trying to NOT make mistakes. I am determined with everything inside of me to be all I have been created to be, and what I am learning time and...

This morning as I sat and drank my coffee, I watched this momma squirrel teach her baby where to go to collect their breakfast.  As she ran up and down the tree over the wooden fence, her baby followed her every foot step. Stopping when mom stopped, running when mom ran and jumping to the next spot just like mom was doing.  It was a peaceful moment in time in which my daddy God reminded me of his love and care for all his children and his love for me. I began to think back on the many times in my life his footprints  guided me down the tress, over the fences and through the rough spots in my life,  The many people he placed in my path to encourage me through my brokenness.  The love of family and friends that feed me with words of strength and healing. I began to see all the times in my life he used me to feed others even through my own struggles. When I surrender to his will, my focus shifts from my own brokenness to their...

    The definition of pain : physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury Injury can be physical and emotional.   We all walk roads of pain at one time or another. Whether it's our own road or one we are walking for someone we love and care for.   Each one is a different based on the circumstances and situations they are going through. Some are self inflicted by their own choices... And some are not. There are roads of pain that come to be simply because someone we love is going through hell and back and we have chosen to walk it out with them. We do so because we love them..... We do so because we have conquered our own road of pain and know how to prevail.   I choose do so because of the unconditional love of my daddy God has given me my entire life, never leaving nor forsaking me.  It is unconditional love is what will bring those I love through the pain, out of the shame and into a ...

Photo Credit I fall down...... In my words...... In my actions....... I fall down in my thoughts...... In my wants..... In my needs....... My intentions. In my relationships..... Past and present....... I fall down. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.   To read more, pop over to  Shakin' the Foundation xoxoxo Stacey